Jesmond Old Cemetery

The Life of Susannah Toward

Have you heard of Susannah Toward?

No?

We didn’t think so.

One of history’s dilemmas is that it tends to favor the well known, the grand gesture, the highly profiled. However, we are fixated on one idea. Every man, woman, and child who lives or has lived possesses their own story. These small ordinary stories have influenced the bigger stories in history. Every occupation helps a community thrive. Our ancestors contributed to history by going about their day-to-day lives.

At Discovering Heritage, we actively seek out the ordinary person. We explore the minute details and forgotten facts of people’s lives. We achieve this by researching the buildings and properties where they lived.

For our post for International Women’s Day, we could have chosen to highlight Eva Ibbotson’s life. She was the author from Jesmond. Another option was Dame Irene Ward, Baroness Ward of North Tyneside from Gosforth. However, we opted to bring you the remarkable story of Susannah Toward.

Our story begins as all the best stories do, in a graveyard. To be precise, in Jesmond Old Cemetery Newcastle.

Jesmond Old Cemetery opened in 1836. It was designed by John Dobson. He is also buried here with thousands of the great and good people of Newcastle.

• Local historian Frederick Walter Dendy is also buried in Jesmond Old Cemetery
• Also buried here is murder victim Mark Frater

Approaching the cemetery one February morning in 2021, we recognised the tall sandstone gates built with Kenton Stone. Kenton quarry was once renowned for the fine quality of Freestone. It would cut easily from the bedrock. The quarry had an amazing seven hundred years of production.

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We walked through the gateway. Then we began to filter through the gravestones. We were looking to see if we were familiar with any names on the inscriptions. We did know one or two. One was the name of Fenwick. We may come back to it at a later date. We threaded in and out of the stones. Eventually, we found ourselves in the part of the cemetery that had been cleared. It was in readiness for the new road planned during the 1970s, but it never actually happened.

Here we noticed the memorial stone of Susannah Toward; it was the name of Gosforth that caught our attention. Gosforth is our home town and features quite a lot in our blog posts! Then we saw that Susannah was not buried with a husband. Susannah died in 1892. It was unusual for a woman to have such a gravestone. It wasn’t huge, but it easily out-sized many of her male counterparts nearby.

Susannah Walworth Gibson Street Newcastle

Susannah was born Susannah Walworth in Northumberland around 1818. The 1841 census shows her working as a Bonnet Maker living on Gibson Street. Gibson Street is near Stepney Lane, not far from the river. Three years later, in 1844, she married a surgeon called John Forster at the approximate age of twenty-five. The 1851 census shows the couple lived at Millers Hill, in All Saints parish, Newcastle, also with her mother.

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Susannah Crone Golden Lion Inn Tyne Street Newcastle

The marriage to John Forster was not to be long-lived. We could not find a Susannah Forster in the 1861 census. Eventually, we discovered her in the marriage records. We realised that she had married again in 1855. We then found her on the 1861 census. She was living at a public house called the Golden Lion at 2 Tyne Street. She was married to an Inn Keeper named Joseph Crone.

Susannah no doubt witnessed many of life’s varied circumstances. As this newspaper excerpt illustrates, 

“FATAL AFFRAY BETWEEN TWO APPRENTICES IN NEWCASTLE. The Coroner (J. T. Hoyle, Esq.) held Inquest on Tuesday evening, at the Golden Lion Inn, Tyne Street, on the body of James Johnson, who died on Tuesday morning, a consequence of the injuries caused by the “usage of a young man named William Venus, an apprentice with Mr Tate, Cooper, Nelson Street, North Shore. Venus was present during the enquiry.—Robt. Nesbit of St. Ann’s Row, employed at the Hamburg Wharf, said: The deceased, James Johnson, was a little over 16 years of age. I am his uncle. He lived with me at 8 St. Ann’s Row, New Road. He was the employment of Mr Tate, cooper. I saw deceased on the Hamburg Wharf, about half-past six o’clock, on the morning of Monday, the 19th inst., in perfect health. He then went to his work. About 7*3

0n the same morning, he came running to me at the Wharf, with his face and hands covered with blood. In consequence of what he said, I went with him to Mr Tate’s shop. I asked Venus why he had struck the deceased, and he replied it was because he would not make the fire on. Venus took up the great chopper, used by coopers for chopping staves, held it close to my face, and said, “I’ll chop your head too.” Venus said he had been used the same way when a boy, for not making fires on, and that if the deceased would not do so, he would do it again to him. I then sent the deceased home, and I returned to my work. I did not make any examination to see what injuries he had received, but I saw that he was walking lame. Mr Hawthorn, the surgeon, was sent for in the morning; but his assistant only came. I thought the deceased was dangerously ill at night that I went and brought Mr Hawthorn down to see him. He continued to attend deceased until his death.”

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Susannah Toward Gosforth Newcastle

Unfortunately, Joseph Crone died in 1868. We followed Susannah through census entries from 1861 to 1873. We found that she remained at the Golden Lion for five years after her husband’s death. Her occupation is recorded as Victualler. Perhaps a difficult life for a woman in those times. We then rechecked the marriage records and found that in 1873 she remarried and became Mrs John Toward.

Once again, Susannah was not blessed with a long marriage. We found her in the 1881 census living at Railway Terrace in Gosforth. She is recorded as a widow living by her own means. With her in the house were her nieces Jayne aged 10, and Isabella, aged 20. We can trace her through trade directories during 1886, 1887 and 1890 to Gosforth Terrace in South Gosforth. The 1891 census tells us that Susannah is still living in Gosforth at Gosforth Terrace. She is seventy-six years old and living with Jane Walworth (possibly her niece, who by this time has also been widowed, resident also were Charles W Fenwick, a married clerk aged 34, his wife, Isabella Fenwick (possibly Susannah’s other niece), aged 30 and their son Charles W Fenwick Jnr aged 9.

Susannah died in 1892 and was buried in Jesmond Old Cemetery. A remarkable life, we think you’ll agree?

She began as a Bonnet Maker and Victualler in the less than salubrious All Saints Parish. Eventually, she became an independent lady and head of the household. She lived by her own means in Gosforth and now has a grave in Jesmond Old cemetery. There, many of the city’s well known industrialists, architects, and other influential names are to be found.

Three husbands and no children, we can only wonder what her life was actually like. We might assume that the years spent as Victualler at the Golden Lion Inn were profitable ones. Susannah had a good head for business. Probate records show she died, leaving effects of £240 7s 7d, (worth approximately £21,319.55 today), to Job Walworth and Isabella Fenwick.

The Golden Lion was demolished in the 1980s.

The photo below shows the back of The Golden Lion pub junction of Tyne Street and City Road. 

©Discovering Heritage

048475:The Golden Lion City Road/Tyne Street Unknown 1985 | Flickr

Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne (1980s) | Steps (since removed… | Flickr

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading the story of one of the historical residents of Railway Terrace in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. As they say, it’s really all about the people who lived in our houses. At the end of the day, it’s the people who turn four walls and a roof into a heartfelt home.

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A Note On House History Research

House History Research isn’t just about facts and figures; it’s about capturing the essence of your home. The research can include details about the people who built your home. It can also share stories of the families who filled it with love and laughter over the years. It can explore the architectural changes that have occurred. These changes offer a fascinating glimpse into how your home has evolved over time.

House History Research goes above and beyond by providing documented artefacts related to your home. These tangible connections to the past, add an extra layer of authenticity and turn your folio into a cherished heirloom.

Are you a proud homeowner eager to dive into the history of your space? Or are you searching for the perfect gift for a history-loving friend or family member? House History Research is an incredible opportunity to connect with the legacy of your home.

To get a FREE pre-purchase archival assessment and find out if this is right for your property click this LINK

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